Martinez freely admits Everton want to win Premier League title

Everton boss Roberto Martinez is not being coy like his rivals by admitting he is more than happy to be in the Premier League title race.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez is not being coy like his rivals by admitting he is more than happy to be in the Premier League title race.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini and Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers have all played down their sides' title credentials in recent weeks, and Martinez said: "Obviously it seems no one wants to win the league.

"No one wants to come out and say they want to win the league - we are quite happy to want to win the league!

"I think it will be an interesting run from now until the end of the season.

"There are many aspects which will have an effect: playing in Europe, how domestically the cup pans out.

"Clearly this is an exciting moment of the season; you are working for two thirds of the season to try to get yourself into a position to fight for your aim, and everything will be decided over the next 12 to 13 weeks.

"This league never stops surprising. A couple of years back, you saw a big gap at the top of eight points cut down in a shorter period than this.

"There are many points to play for. What is really exciting is the amount of form that the team is starting to get.

"You look throughout the league - fighting for the top, fighting for the Champions League, fighting against relegation - and it is the closest it has been for a long time."